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MacDonald Promises Warmer Homes and Cheaper Bills
30/11/1998
The Government will deliver warmer homes and cheaper fuel bills to those on low incomes, Scottish Housing Minister Calum MacDonald pledged today at the start of Warm Homes Week.
During a visit to an Edinburgh home recently insulated by Everwarm under the Warm Deal for Scotland, Mr MacDonald said:
"There are far too many Scots living in cold houses which are expensive to heat. The Government is determined to tackle this problem by improving home energy efficiency, which is why we have introduced the Warm Deal for Scotland.
"Under the Warm Deal, many low income families can have their homes insulated at little or no cost to themselves, leading to warmer homes and lower bills. This is good news for pensioners and others on low incomes as winter starts to bite.
"The scheme also gives the long-term unemployed the chance of quality work experience and training opportunities. Over 130 people have already been taken on and this combination of improved energy efficiency and better job prospects makes the Warm Deal unique to Scotland.
"Since May 1997, we have doubled the annual budget for improving home energy efficiency to £12 million. Funding will continue at this level, helping us provide affordable warmth for those most in need."
BACKGROUND
1. Warm Homes Week is organised annually by Energy Action Scotland to publicise the help available to low income families to improve the energy efficiency of their homes. Help is available under two Government-funded schemes: the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) and the Warm Deal for Scotland. The works available include cavity wall insulation, loft tank and pipe insulation and draughtproofing. Energy efficiency advice is also available.
2. HEES has been in operation since 1991. £34 million has been spent in Scotland and 237,000 houses have benefited. The budget is almost £6 million per year.
3. The Warm Deal was introduced last year and is available only in Scotland. It links home energy efficiency for low income families with the Government's New Deal for the long-term unemployed. Organisations are encouraged to take on unemployed people to help install the insulation and £8.75 million has been invested in the Warm Deal since July 1997, benefiting over 20,000 homes. Calum MacDonald recently announced that the annual budget is to be increased by £1 million and it now stands at £6 million.
4. Everwarm is a private company and is the biggest Scottish provider of insulation measures under Government-funded schemes. They have taken on 18 unemployed young people under the Warm Deal and a number of these trainees have recently obtained a National Vocational Qualification in energy efficiency.
News Release: 2507/98
30 November, 1998